Parkinsons

Condition/Diagnosis: Parkinson’s disease

Overview: Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system. This means that it begins to get worse and affect the nervous system more over time. This can be most noticed in the soft and slow speech of a person as well as in the lack of swing of the arms while walking.
Symptoms:
-Tremors (shaking in hands and fingers generally)
-Slowed Movement (Bradykinesia)
-Rigid/Stiff Muscles
-Impaired/Stooped Balance and Posture
-Loss of Automatic Movements (blinking, smiling, swing of arms when walking)
-Speech Changes (speak softly, quickly, or with slurred words)
-Writing Changes (small writing or difficult to write)
Treatments: Treatments include medication, where symptoms can be greatly reduced, this is guided by the patient’s Neurologist. The Neurologist may find that the patient is a good candidate for Deep Brain Stimulation. The surgeons at Colorado Brain and Spine Institute utilize awake surgery and micro-electrode recording techniques to improve functional outcomes.